Personal recreational vehicles, such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, motorcycles, and multi-purpose off-highway utility vehicles (e.g., side-by-side seating vehicles), have grown increasingly popular, both for recreational and utilitarian purposes. Today, Personal recreational vehicles are used for such diverse purposes as transporting workmen to remote and difficult to reach sites or permitting families to reach scenic sites for a picnic. As a consequence of their expanding role, personal recreational vehicles are often used for carrying items. For example, in the case of the workman, the personal recreational vehicle may be used to carry tools, while in the case of the family, the personal recreational vehicle may be used to carry food and a grill.
In the prior art, little provision has been made with respect to the cargo carrying role of a personal recreational vehicle. Generally, if a personal recreational vehicle was to be used to carry a cargo unit, such as a grill, the item had to be strapped (as with a bungee cord) to a rack attached to the personal recreational vehicle. This scheme possessed drawbacks. For example, the process of securing a cargo unit to a rack can be time consuming, particularly if the item was of a shape that did not allow for easy coupling to a rack. Additionally, securing items with a bungee cord can be difficult to carry out reliably.
As is evident from the preceding discussion, there exists a need for a scheme to permit convenient and secure carrying of cargo by a personal recreational vehicle. A desirable scheme will be simple, rugged, and adaptable for carrying many different sorts of items.